NETWORK INSIGHTS INTO COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP
BY CASSANDRA GLOVER
Ray White prides itself on being an integral part of the communities in which we operate , and a great way to be involved is with community sponsorships . We asked some of our offices across the network to share some insights about their community sponsorship and tell us who they sponsor , what is involved , and why they do it .
BEN FAULKS RAY WHITE CANBERRA , ACT
WHO
We have a corporate partnership with Kulture Break which is a not-for-profit Canberra organisation who uses dance as a medium to activate and empower young people . We ’ re a major sponsor for WinTheDay which was recently founded by a local Canberran to raise money for rare childhood cancers . We ’ re a major sponsor for the Brumbies Super W rugby team .
WHAT WHY
As part of our sponsorship with Kulture Break , 15 of our staff have volunteered to support the kids performing in the major end of year performance at the Canberra Convention Centre in front of 1,300 people .
I personally mentored the founder of WinTheDay , a family friend whose four-year-old daughter is the inspiration behind the cause following her own battle with Wilms tumour . A major gala event held on 21 October raised over $ 380,000 , with 25 Ray White Canberra staff volunteering at the event .
We ’ ve committed $ 30,000 each year for the next three years to the Brumbies Super W to provide cash to each player within the elite squad to help close the gap between men ’ s and women ' s rugby . The funds are used to meet costs such as boots and insurance that the men ' s team don ' t have to pay .
We view these involvements as an investment in our brand and reputation , as well as a chance to support worthy causes in the community . Having said that , we ensure that what we do support , we then invest again in leveraging that involvement . Take the Brumbies for example . We invested in buses to promote the partnership and a range of digital assets to help bring the sponsorship to life .
With our charity and community partners we believe that you have to get involved . That way you meet other like-minded people which sparks conversations , and who knows where that leads . We ' ve just won our first project from a distant contact that was rekindled when we both became involved in the same charitable groups .
I ' ve also found that it ' s worth paying that little bit more to get top billing at the school fetes for example , but then leveraging that with a media wall , volunteer t-shirts , and letterbox drops to promote the fete . In my view it ' s only commercially viable if you ' re willing to work it , rather than just write a cheque .
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